Broken Promises
by Browncoats and Floral Bonnets
Summary: Danny and Steve are in pursuit of a murderer when they get kidnapped, and Steve finds himself facing a difficult choice, to which there is no positive outcome. Rating for violence and mild-ish language throughout. Whump (especially Danny)! R&R please!
1. Chapter 1

"Holy crap! You wanna watch where the hell you're driving?!" Danny cries as a car veers around them, honking.

"We can't lose him, Danny! I will not lose him!" McGarret snaps. He jerks the wheel to the left, making a screeching turn in pursuit of the killer.

Danny shakes his head in the passenger seat, thinking about the fact that if they're dead then Lennon gets away with it anyway. A wave of nausea comes over him and he closes his eyes. He wasn't feeling too good this morning, and now his partner's erratic driving is making his stomach churn and his head spin.

"You okay?" McGarret asks before making another very sharp turn.

"Uhn. Yeah," Danny answers, feeling like he's going to puke any second. He frowns. "Where the hell is he going?"

They've gotten out of the city, and now they're driving on an empty road toward the middle of nowhere.

"Kono, any ideas?" McGarret barks into his comm. "Kono! Damn it, our radio isn't working."

A pit has begun to form in Danny's stomach, one that has nothing to do with his feeling ill. "Something is wrong."

No sooner do the words come out of his mouth than an SUV barrels into them and in a mess of crunching glass and twisting metal, everything goes dark.

XXX

McGarret comes to slowly. Everything is aching, and his head feels like it's ready to split open. He's sitting on the floor, his back against a wooden pole, his wrists cuffed behind him. He can feel blood, warm and sticky, on his head and down the side of his face. A groan slips from his lips.

"Steve? 's that you?" a voice asks a from a few feet in front him.

"Yeah, it's me Danny," he answers, relieved that his partner is conscious as well. "You okay?"

"Fine." But there was a little too much hesitation, a little too much pain behind the word and any relief McGarret may have felt melts away.

"What about you?"

"I'm fine. Got a bitch of a headache, but I'm good. They've got me blindfolded though."

"We're in some sort of abandoned boathouse or something. You know, big room, dirt floor, more doors than windows." Danny gasps suddenly and Steve winces as his partner begins to retch.

"Danno! You alright?" he asks, turning his head in Danny's general direction. "Hey! Are you okay?" The smell of vomit wafts toward him, and he almost loses his breakfast, too.

Danny coughs, then sits in silence, catching his breath. "Yeah," he finally says.

"Bullshit."

"What?"

"Just because I can't see you doesn't mean I don't know. Tell me what's really going on with you," Steve says with finality. He's greeted with silence. "Danny!"

"I…I wasn't feeling too hot this morning. Just a bug, I think," Danny admits.

"And?"

"And…"

"And we just got hit by an SUV! Don't tell me you're fine! I _need _you to be honest with me."

"I think I may have a few cracked ribs. But that's it. I'm fine," Danny insists.

McGarret still gets the distinct feeling that Danny is withholding something, but he decides to keep his mouth shut for now.

There's a creaking sound, and Danny whispers urgently, "Someone's coming in!"

"Yeah, I know. I'm blindfolded, not deaf. Lennon?"

"Yeah," Danny breathes.

"Hello, Detective Williams. McGarret. Glad to have you with me. It took awhile, but now look! Here we are!"

McGarret shifts, turning toward Lennon's voice. "Why'd you kill Scott?"

"Well, I had to get your attention _somehow._ How the hell else was I supposed to do it? Now, down to business. You are privy to some information that I need."

McGarret's blood is boiling. "You really think I'm going to help you?" he growls.

"Um, yes. I do."

There's the sound of flesh connecting with flesh and a sickening crack, and Danny lets out a scream.

"No! You son of a bitch!" McGarret cries, jerking forward so the cuffs cut into his wrists.

"Steve," Danny gasps. "Don't tell him any-gah!" He's cut off by another blow, and McGarret bellows in anger. Lennon puts a hand on the back of his head.

"I'll be back, Steve. Think about it. Anything that happens to your partner is on your head."

McGarret sits in angry silence until he hears the door open and close. As soon as Lennon is out of the room, McGarret is leaning forward as much as his restraints allow him to.

"Danny. Danny!" There's no response. McGarret can hear his partner's pained, wheezing breaths and he feels sick. "Dammit, Danno, come on. Come on! Talk to me!"

"Don' soun'…so worried," Danny says, his speech slightly slurred.

"Danny, thank God. Hang in there, okay partner? We're gonna get out of here."

"Don' tell 'em anything, Steve. Don'…don' tell 'em." Danny sounds like he's going to cry, and McGarret feels a sharp stab of guilt.

"I won't tell them anything, Danny. I promise."


	2. Chapter 2

Steve is awoken by the sound of Danny vomiting. He doesn't remember falling asleep, and that worries him because it means he probably has a concussion.

"Danny," he says. "Danny, talk to me."

"One hell of a bug," Danny answers before vomiting again. He groans in pain. "Bastard broke m' ribs. An' my head…"

"Son of a bitch," McGarret mutters. "Hang in there, Danno. Everything will be okay."

He talks idly to his partner about nothing in particular. Danny doesn't do a whole lot of talking back (which worries Steve more than he'd ever admit), so the conversation is rather one-sided until he finally just trails off, filling the room with silence.

Hours pass and everything doesn't become okay. But it also doesn't get worse. At least there's that.

And then Danny begins to shout at the top of his lungs.

"You bastard! I'm gonna kill you, you son of a bitch!"

"Whoa! Danny! Danny!" Steve cries.

Danny ignores him. "You're a damn coward! Come in here and fight me like a man!"

"What the hell are you doing?" McGarret hisses. What is Danny _thinking_? His anger dissolves into concern as his partner begins to sob.

"Steve. Steve, I'm sososo sorry," Danny bawls.

"Danny-what? What the hell are you sorry for? I'm the one that got us into the mess in the first place!" Danny's next words send a shock through McGarret's system and he freezes in confusion.

"Steve. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I let you die."

XXX

Danny can't control the scream that tears from his lips as he stares at his partner's cold, still form.

Steve's eyes are open, staring but seeing nothing. There's blood on his lips and blood on his chest where the bullets landed and bloodbloodblood so that it's all that Danny can see. Blood and Steve's empty, empty eyes.

"Steve," he wails. He closes his eyes in the hopes of seeing something else-anything but Him-but instead when he closes his eyes, he sees Steve's bloody, slightly up-turned smile, hears him whisper, "Don't be such a girl" before the light leaves his eyes.

Danny wrenches his eyes open again and stares hard at the ceiling and hopes and prays that somehow, somehow when he looks back Steve will not be dead.

He lowers his eyes from the ceiling-

And Steve is there, tied to the pole with a blindfold over his eyes and saying his name, over and over.

"Danny! Danny, do you hear me? I'm here. I am _right. Here._"

Danny's crying slowly subsides, until he's just left with those shuddery breaths. "Steve?" he says uncertainly.

"Yes! Yes, Danny, I'm here. I'm right here. You were hallucinating. I'm just fine, okay?"

Danny frowns. "I…I dunno. 'm so confused…" He feels hot and shivery at the same time, and his stomach is churning and his ribs are burning and his head aches and he just wants to be at home. Preferably in bed. Maybe with a nice cold beer in his hand. "You're really alive?"

"Yes. Yes, Danny, I'm really alive. We're in a boathouse, remember? Lennon brought us here after the SUV hit us."

Danny's still not sure what he believes, but he says okay anyway. "Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"I think 'm gonna be sick." The words are barely out of his mouth before he's vomiting, except that all that's left in his stomach now is bile. He heaves again and again until he's exhausted and gasping and trying not to pass out from the pain in his ribs because he's afraid that if he does, he'll wake up and Steve will be dead again.

XXX

Steve mutters whatever soothing words he can think up as Danny gets sick again. Worry has turned to outright fear. McGarret is sure his partner is running a fever, and a high one at that, because of the hallucinations. He's also pretty sure Danny has the flu, and between the fever and the vomiting, he'll be completely dehydrated soon.

Dehydration, fever, vomiting, broken ribs, and possible concussion…Danny's in a bad, bad way.

And as the door opens, Steve realizes with horror that it's about to get a whole lot worse.

"Hello, detectives!" Lennon says cheerfully. Steve has the sudden fierce desire to rip the man's face off. "Oh. Wow. You're not looking so good, Daniel."

"Piss off," Danny mutters, making Steve grin despite himself.

The grin vanishes when Danny lets out a strangled cry.

"Don't," Steve says. He'd intended to sound intimidating, but instead the word comes out desperate.

"You can stop it, Steve, if you tell me what I need to know."

"You know I'd never do that."

"Well, then, you have your answer."

There's a crack, and Danny screams in agony. He's still screaming when the door opens and closes and the two Five-0 members are alone once more. The scream tapers off to a moan and McGarret feels a stab of guilt.

"Shit, Danno. What'd he do to you?" McGarret says.

"Knee," Danny gasps. He mumbles something that resembles cursing. Then, "Grace. Damn it, I promised I would take her to the movies…"

For a terrified second, McGarret thinks Danny might be hallucinating again. Then, with a sinking feeling, he realizes that today is Grace's birthday.

He sits in silence as Danny cries softly. He wishes he could reach out and offer him some sort of comfort. Instead, he feels helpless and useless and guiltier than hell.

And then he realizes there _is_ something he could do.

He wonders what it is that Lennon wants, and if it would really be so bad to tell him what he wanted to know…

**A/N: Thanks for the follows and reviews and stuff! It really, really helps! Also, don't expect chapters up this quickly in the future, as I am busy with school and stuff during the week. I'll do my best! Reviews appreciated!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So, it was gently brought to my attention that I have been spelling Steve's last name wrong. From here on out, I'll spell it correctly. Sorry bout that! This **_**is**_** my first Five-0 fic, though, so cut me some slack…Thanks for the support guys!**

The door swings open and bangs against the wall, and Steve knows something is different. Lennon's footsteps are faster, heavier. And rapidly approaching. A fist slams into McGarrett's jaw and Lennon grabs him by the hair.

"My level of seriousness just does _not_ seem to be getting into that thick head of yours," Lennon says through clenched teeth. He yanks off the blindfold and grabs Steve's jaw, turning his head toward Danny. "There. See? This is what your reluctance has done!"

Steve's heart stops as he takes in the broken form of his partner. Danny is shivering, his cheeks flushed, his eyes glazed and wandering. There's a cut above his eyebrow and blood down the side of his face, and his jaw is swollen. His shirt is soaked through with sweat and vomit and blood. His left pant leg is tight around his knee, which is swollen and undoubtedly broken. His chest rises and falls unevenly and shallowly.

"What do you want to know?" Steve asks weakly.

Lennon smiles at him. "I knew you'd come around eventually. I need you to tell me where Cameron Holloway is."

McGarrett stares at him. "Are you in_sane_? How the hell would I know that?"

"Don't! Lie to me!" Lennon shouts, kicking him in the ribs.

Steve coughs and struggles to catch his breath. His mind races.

Holloway is a scumbag and an asshole and McGarrett can hardly believe that he is choosing that piece of shit over his best friend. But Holloway is the key witness in a high profile case that could put a very, very dangerous man behind bars. But Danny is fearless, selfless, and recklessly loyal…

"What do you want with Holloway? You working for Greenway?"

"No, I'm not. You think Greenway is the only one who wants that back stabbing bastard dead? No, I don't work for Greenway. Now tell me! Where he is!" Lennon's pissed, his eyes wild. Steve knows he's not playing.

He considers the choice before him. He knows where Holloway is. Maybe he could work Lennon, get him to let Danny go…

And then his eye catches Danny's, and Danny shakes his head ever so slightly. "I'm sorry, Danno," McGarrett says, and looks up at Lennon and sets his jaw defiantly.

Lennon stares at him, chest heaving, nostrils flaring. And in a swift, sudden movement, he turns, pulls a gun from the waistband of his pants and pulls the trigger.

"Danny!"

XXX

Kono and Chin walk around one side of the building with half of the tact team as the other half fans out to block all the exits.

"We've got to be careful, guys, Lennon is most likely armed and he has two of our men," Chin says.

Suddenly, there's the sound of a gunshot and Kono and Chin start running. "We've got a shot fired! Move in! NOW!"

"Freeze! Drop the weapon! Drop the weapon!" Kono shouts as they burst into the boathouse.

Lennon turns around, the gun still in his hand.

"I said drop your weapon, Lennon! We've got the building surrounded! You're not getting out of this one."

Lennon flashes her a quick grin, puts the gun in his mouth, and pulls the trigger. Chin is already calling an ambulance.

Kono drops her gun and rushes to Danny's side. He's slumped down, and blood is spilling from a bullet hole in his shoulder. She can hear Steve crying behind her, Chin speaking softly to him. Taking a deep breath to steel herself, she feels for a pulse. Her heart pounds in here ears and she can hardly think. She's shocked by how hot the skin beneath her fingers is. _There. _His pulse is weak and thready, and he doesn't respond to her touch.

"He's alive," she says. "Steve, he's alive!" She goes around to the other side of the pole and takes out her key, quickly removing Danny's handcuffs. Now that she can think more clearly, she can hear his faint wheezing. He's obviously struggling to breath.

"Chin, how long until we get someone out here?"

"Six, seven minutes," Chin responds.

_That may not be soon enough_, Kono thinks. She removes her bullet-proof vest and tears off a strip of her shirt, pressing it against the wound in his shoulder, the carefully leans Danny forward and maneuvers herself behind him. She gently pulls him into a more upright position, so he's leaning heavily against her, in an attempt to help his breathing.

As soon as Chin undoes his handcuffs, McGarrett is by Danny's side.

"Dannydannydanny," he says under his breath, taking Danny's hand in his own. "Come on, Danno. You did good, you did so good. Just a little longer, okay? Just keep breathing for me. We'll get you patched up in no time. You have to take Grace to the movies, remember? You promised. And you lost that bet awhile back, you still owe me a drink." He pauses expectantly for a moment. There's no response. "Shit, Danny!" He's in tears now. "Why the hell did you make me promise, huh? You damn stupid bastard. This is your fault. This is your damn fault."

Chin puts his hands on McGarrett's shoulders and gently pulls him away. "The ambulance is here, Steve. They're gonna take good care of him."

"They better," Steve says loudly as the paramedics rush in. "Because if they don't they will answer to me."

Chin gives him a sharp look. Steve ignores it. Five-0 watches in stony silence as their fallen member is loaded onto the ambulance. Steve gets in to ride with him.

"Come on, Kono. We can follow," Chin says. "…Kono? You alright, Cuz?"

Kono is still leaning against the pole, staring down at the blood on her hands and shirt, silent tears streaming down her face. She's shaking badly. Chin sits on the floor next to her and wraps an arm around her shoulders. She buries her head in his shirt and she cries.

XXX


	4. Chapter 4

"Commander McGarrett, I need you to let me check you over."

Steve glowers up at the paramedic. "I'm fine." He turns his gaze back to Danny, who's already got several IVs in his arms and whose blood is covering the hands of the other paramedic.

"Sir, that wasn't a request."

"I said I'm _fine_!" McGarrett snapped.

The paramedic looks at him sternly. "Commander, I don't want to sedate you, but I will do what I have to."

"I'd like to see you try," Steve growls, tensing.

The paramedic sighs, his expression softening. "Listen, Commander. Your partner has a very difficult road ahead of him, and he's going to need you there to support, alright? If you're down for the count, you won't be any good to him. Let me check you out."

Steve hesitates, then nods his consent. The paramedic takes his heart rate and blood pressure, frowning to himself, then looks at the cut on McGarrett's head. He takes out a small flashlight and shines it in front of McGarrett's eyes.

"Commander, how are you feeling? And dizziness, nausea, headache?"

"My head's killing me," Steve says, realizing for the first time since he'd first awoken in the boathouse just how true that was. He groans and closes his eyes.

"McGarrett, you with me?"

Steve thinks about answering, then decides it's easier to just let the darkness envelop him.

XXX

When he wakes up, his head feels like it's full of fog and the lights seem a little too bright and the monitors a little too loud and he just wants to go back to sleep.

"Steve! Good to see you awake."

"Kono. Hey," Steve says. "What happened? Why am I here?"

"You've got a concussion. Doc says you should be out in a few days, though, as long as someone keeps an eye on you and you take a break from chasing down bad guys for a bit."

Steve smirks. "Yeah. That'll happen." His smile melts away. "How's Danny?"

Kono tries to smile, but Steve can see the sadness in her face. His heart races. "He's not-" His voice catches. "Is he…"

"No, no, Steve. He's alive. Danny's alive. They got his shoulder patched up and though they might have to do surgery on it later, his knee. But between the injuries and the blood loss…he's sick, Steve. His fever hasn't broken and-well, they're worried."

Steve's face falls and his voice becomes quiet and thick with emotion. "This is all my fault. Everything that happened to him is my fault and now he's going to die because of me."

Kono puts a hand on his shoulder and looks him in the face. "No. This is _not_ your fault. You can't blame yourself for this. And Danny is _not_ going to die. He is going to be just fine."

McGarrett doesn't answer her, clearly unconvinced. He doesn't say anything for a few minutes, and Kono stands.

"I should let you rest," she says awkwardly, breaking the silence.

"Wait." Kono turns. "How'd you find us?"

Kono takes a deep breath and sits back down. "When we lost communication with you, we thought it was just a glitch. A few hours went by with not even a peep, and you guys still weren't back…and then Chin figured out that our signal was being blocked. Intentionally. We knew something was wrong so we jumped in the car and drove to the last place we'd tracked you to before the signal went out. When we got there, we found your car smashed and there was blood and…we didn't know what to do. Where to go. We followed the SUV tracks, and found the SUV even, but it had been ditched. There were so many places you guys could have been, and we had virtually no information about the situation. No idea how many hostiles, whether they were armed…we weren't even sure you were still alive. We tried to get information, anything that could be helpful, but we couldn't find anything. Finally, we decided to just go search all the boathouses and…well, we found you."

"Who else was there?"

"Only Lennon."

McGarrett frowns at that. "He can't have been operating alone. There were at least two people in the SUV."

Kono shrugs. "Chin and I have been thinking the same thing. But with Lennon dead, we have nothing to go on."

"Yeah we do."

Kono looks up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Lennon. He kept asking about someone in Wit Sec…Cameron Holloway. Obviously Lennon wasn't working alone, and if he's dead then the people he was working with are going to have to try and find Holloway another way." His mind is churning. A plan is beginning to form. He can see by the look on Kono's face that she's thinking too.

Suddenly, the door bursts open and a nurse rushes in.

"Commander McGarrett? We could really use some help. If you don't mind, could I ask you to get dressed and come with me to Daniel's room?"

McGarrett is already scrambling out of the hospital bed. "What is it?" he asks urgently. "Is he okay? Where the hell are my clothes?"

The nurse points to the closet and Steve yanks it open and pulls out his clothes, quickly getting dressed. "What's going on?" he demands as she leads him down the hall.

"He's hallucinating and they really don't want to have to sedate him. He keeps talking about you and, well, we're hoping you can calm him down."

When they get to the room, Danny is crouched defensively in the corner, his eyes darting back and forth. Blood is running down his arms from where he tore out the IVs. A doctor is standing to the side, trying to stop his nose bleeding with one hand, and holding ice to his jaw with the other.

"I got McGarrett," the nurse says. Steve is already pushing through the doorway. He crouches in front of Danny.

Danny stares through him with glassy, unfocused eyes, breathing heavily-almost wheezing. His hands tremble, and every muscle is tensed. Steve slowly reaches out and places a hand on his partner's shoulder. Danny flinches badly and strikes out. McGarrett barely dodges his fist. He decides to take a different approach, remembering what happened at the boat house.

"Danny? Can you hear me? It's me. It's Steve. I'm here."

There's a flicker of recognition. A frown. A catch in his breath. "Steve."

"Hey, Danno. Why don't you get back in your bed and let the doc take care of you?" Steve suggests.

Still frowning, Danny nods slowly. A few nurses (or doctors or orderlies, McGarret isn't sure) shoo him away and help Danny up and to his hospital bed and close the door and Steve stands alone in the hallway.

XXX

**A/N: Sorry guys. Between fevers and funerals and doctor's appointments and auditions and homework and general hectic-ness, there was quite a delay up to this chapter. Thank you so much for the support!**


	5. Chapter 5

It's been four days since Danny's freak-out, and two since McGarrett's release.

It's been 78 hours since Danny fell unconscious and stayed that way.

McGarrett paces back and forth across the waiting room floor, wringing his hands. Kono watches him in silent concern. She's long since stopped trying to talk to him about it. After he punched a doctor in the mouth for telling him not to have his hopes too high, the doctors and nurses are avoiding him, too.

"Coffee?" Chin offers. McGarrett shakes his head without a word.

Steve stops his pacing suddenly. "This is my fault," he says. "If I hadn't…if I'd just listened…Holy shit Danny is going to die because of me."

Kono wants to offer him some sort of comfort, but her voice catches in her throat. Steve has always felt responsible for Danny, and it's not surprising that he's blaming himself for this. But the concussion has his emotions all over the place, and he's completely incapable of thinking straight. She knows that nothing she says will get through to him.

"Kono…" he ventures.

"Yeah, Steve?"

"There's something I don't get. Why did Lennon have me blindfolded, but not Danny?"

Kono frowns. The question is a reasonable one, and one she doesn't have an answer to. "I don't know. Maybe…maybe he thought it would get you to tell him where Holloway was if you didn't know how Danny was doing." She winces, worried that she brought up something she shouldn't have, but Steve is lost in thought.

"Maybe Lennon wasn't the only one to come into the room. I mean, we've already concluded that there were other people working with Lennon. They could have come in when I was unconscious. But why would be okay for Danny to see them and not me? It doesn't make any sense…I've got to go see him. I'll be back."

Kono and Chin exchange a glance. Neither of them think it's a very good idea for Steve to see Danny, not with how easily worked up he's been, but they also know it would not be wise to try and stop him.

"You think he's gonna be okay?" Kono asks softly.

"Once the concussion clears up," Chins answers. The doubt in his voice doesn't get past Kono, though.

XXX

McGarrett sits in the plastic chair, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. Danny lays silent and still and feverish, all pale skin with dark circles under his eyes.

"Hey, Danny. It's me. I'm sorry about this. About all of it. It's my fault you're here. But now it's up to you to get better, okay? So…you better not die or I will march into the afterlife and drag you out. And then kill you myself." He sighs and buries his head in his hands. "You have to wake up, Danno. For Grace. For _me_. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I actually miss those annoying-ass rants of yours. I could use one right about now. If you were awake, you'd try and talk me out of what I'm about to do because it's dangerous and stupid as hell and illegal. I'd try to laugh you off, but would finally give in and see what _you_ would suggest because-and I can't believe I'm saying this either-you're right a lot of the time. I think I may be able to catch the people Lennon was working for. I know finding them won't make you get better, but I sure would like to beat the crap out of them. The rest you're got to do on your own so…get on it." He stands up, giving Danny's hand a quick squeeze before leaving the room.

Kono stands in alarm as he walks by. "Where are you going?" she asks.

"I'm just gonna go home and take a shower, maybe have a beer and a nap."

"The doctor says-"

"I'll be fine, Kono. I'll be back soon." He can tell Kono isn't completely convinced, but she sits down without pressing further.

Good.

He drives to HQ. It's the first time he's been there since he was kidnapped, and the first time he's been there alone in a very, very long time.

He dials a number quickly and urgently and waits impatiently.

"Marshal Peters here."

"Marshal. This is Commander Steve McGarrett, of Five-0. You're watching a witness by the name of Holloway, is that correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. I'll be by in half an hour to pick him up. He needs to be moved immediately."

"All due respect, Commander, but I don't think-"

"Marshal, do you know what the Five-0 task force is?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then you know it's connected with the term 'full means and immunity'. You know what that means, right?"

"Yes, Commander. My apologies. He'll be ready to move."

"Good. Thank you for your cooperation."

He hangs up the phone. He knows it's bugged. He just hopes the bastards that bugged it will be stupid enough to fall for this.

If they aren't, he'll be in a whole lot of trouble.

XXX


	6. Chapter 6

McGarrett pulls up in front of the small house. A black car with tinted windows sits a few driveways down, and he walks over and taps on the window. The window is rolled down.

"Can I help you?"

"Marshal Peters. I'm here to relieve you of your duty."

Peters frowns. "But you said-"

"I know what I said. Things have changed."

Peters stares at him a moment before nodding. He picks up his keys and takes one of them off, handing it to McGarrett. "That's the house key."

"Thank you for your cooperation," McGarrett says. He waves at the marshal as he drives away, then marches up to the front door of the house and unlocks the door.

"Hey, Peters!" someone-presumably Holloway-calls loudly. "Finally decide to come in and watch the game with me? It's not looking so good for-who the hell are you?"

"Your new handler. Come with me."

"And why the hell should I do that?"

"Because I'm the guy with the gun. And because I'm with Five-0. Do you know what that means?"

Holloway has grown visibly pale. Obviously he does know what that means. He gets up and follows McGarrett out to the car. McGarrett pops the trunk and Holloway starts shifting nervously.

"Are you going to kill me?" he asks, point-blank.

McGarrett has to smile at that. "No, I'm not going to kill you," he says as he yanks Holloway's hands behind his back, zip-tying them. "But there are some very angry, very dangerous people who will if they know you're here. So I suggest you stay as quiet as possible."

"You-you can't do this man. I'll die in there! It'll cook me alive!"

McGarrett pauses to think a moment. "Nah. It's not _that_ hot." And shoves Holloway into the trunk, slamming it shut. Then he gets in his car, and he drives.

He's not going anywhere in particular, just driving around in circles, really. He's waiting until they find him. It doesn't take long for him to spot a conspicuous SUV with tinted windows following him through the streets. Perfect. He guns it, weaving through traffic. He's got to make it look real.

The SUV follows him, and he leads them on a merry chase, out of the city and into dense forest. And they're stupid enough to follow him. Good.

He finally brings the car to a screeching halt, noticing with a smile the muffled groan coming from the back of the car, and gets out, gun in hand. He stands behind his open car door, leaning casually against it.

The SUV stops and three men get out. Two of them are big, and holding guns. Obviously the brawn of this little operation. The third is a small, weasel-ish man with glasses and a nervous disposition. He eyes the gun in McGarrett's hand with trepidation. So he's the brains. But he's not the boss. None of these three are fit to be leaders, he realizes quickly. Damn.

"Where is he?" Brawn One asks, his voice the low growl you would expect from a henchman.

"Where's who?" McGarrett calls.

"You know who!" Brawn Two shouts, waving his gun a little for emphasis. McGarrett rolls his eyes and promptly puts a bullet in Brawn One's knee and another in Brawn Two's shoulder with a dark pleasure. Then he blows out the front tires of the SUV for good measure.

Brain stands trembling, looking back and forth between his fallen comrades and McGarrett, who is now approaching with fire in his eyes and a gun aimed at his head.

McGarrett grabs the uneasy man by the shoulder and leads him roughly toward the car. He doesn't say a word. Better to let him stew in his worry and fear.

"You'll be driving," McGarrett says once the get there. He gets into the passenger seat, pointing the gun at Brain's head. "Do exactly as I tell you. Try anything, and I will blow you away without a second thought." He's not bluffing, and he knows that small, nervous man knows it.

They drive deeper into the woods, until there's nothing in sight except trees, trees, and more trees. The man in the driver's seat grows more and more anxious, squirming in his seat, his face pale and sweaty.

"Stop here," McGarrett commands. "Get out."

The man gets out and stumbles to his knees and pukes on the ground. McGarrett watches with grim satisfaction.

"Get up," Steve commands. Brain pulls himself up, not making eye contact. "What's your name?" No answer. "Look at me!" The man reluctantly raises his eyes.

"My name is Harrison. Andrew Harrison."

"Harrison. I'm Steve McGarrett."

"I know who you are."

"Good. Then you know just how serious I am. Now I have some questions I'm going to ask, and you are going to answer them." Steve doesn't know what he plans on doing if Harrison refuses to answer, but the rage flowing through his veins is enough to frighten even him. "What does your boss want with Holloway?"

"Holloway betrayed him. He's a rat. My boss doesn't like rats." He says the last sentence with a bit of a wince. He's a rat now. But Harrison seems to be more afraid of McGarrett than his boss. As long as that's true, everything will be fine.

"Why was Danny blindfolded and I wasn't?"

Harrison hesitates at that and McGarrett brandishes his gun.

"Fine! My boss wasn't only after Holloway. He was after you, too. Williams was never supposed to be taken, too, but that's just how it worked out. He wasn't blindfolded because it was never my boss's intention to let him live. It didn't matter what he knew because he'd never be able to tell anyone."

McGarrett bristles at that, and Harrison can sense the blood in the water, because he adds, "I talked him out of it. I did. Williams' getting shot, that wasn't our fault. That was all Lennon. The guy was a loose cannon. I tried warning Boss, but he didn't listen. He never listens." Harrison blanches. He's said too much.

"Things aren't going so well between the two of you then?" Steve says conversationally.

"I didn't say that."

"Why are you here?" McGarrett asks suddenly. "I mean, I can understand your boss not wanting to come here himself, but why on earth did he send you?"

"I…I don't know." He frowns, considering the question.

"Looks like you and your boss have some things to work out. Tell me who he is."

Harrison stares at him. "No. I can't do that."

McGarrett cocks the gun and puts it to Harrison's temple. "Please?"

Harrison closes his eyes. "I can't. Go ahead and kill me. If I tell you who he is, what he does to me will be much worse."

McGarrett considers this. He's lost the upper hand. He's got to find a way to get it back. "Things are obviously not going too well between you two. So here's my offer to you: Tell me who he is and I can offer you protection. There's not much he can do to you if he's in prison."

"He'll find me before you find him."

"Not if we hide you."

"I'm not exactly the innocent party in this whole thing. I'll likely end up in prison, too. He'll just kill me there. If I'm lucky."

"I will personally see to it that you are in a prison as far from him as you can be."

Harrison shakes his head. "It won't make a difference. You were in prison when you were stabbed, right? He can hire someone else to do it if he can't himself."

McGarrett winces at the memory, and his scar aches for a moment. He wonders briefly how in the hell this guy knew about that, then realizes it was probably televised all over the state, if not all over the country.

"Then what do you suggest, Harrison? Because I can't very well just let you go. Especially not if you're going to keep your boss's identity from me. So…I could just kill you and dump your body in the woods. Or I could arrest you, take you to the state pen. You know, the guys there hate two things: cops, and rats. And you're a rat. It won't help that you're small."

Harrison has grown very pale, and is shifting from foot to foot, wringing his hands. "Okay. I think we can work something out. But it involves trust on both sides. If I tell you, you have to let me go. Because if I don't go back to him, he will know I squealed and he will do to me whatever he pleases and even the mighty Five-0 will not be able to stop him. So let me go and convince him that I'm still on his side. I'm smarter than he is. He trusts me. I can manipulate him and make him completely certain that I would never betray him. And then you come in and you bring him down, you don't send me to prison. Put me on parole for a couple years."

"You're crazy."

"Then you better put that bullet in my head right now." He closes his eyes, waiting for the bullet.

McGarrett stands with his gun to the man's temple. It would be so easy, so _satisfying_ to pull the trigger. But…

"Fine. We've got a deal. You give me the name, then you have twenty four hours to clear your name and then we're going in. If you try to warn him, I will tear you limb from limb. I'll have eyes on every airport, every air _strip_, every dock. There will be nowhere for him to go. There will be nowhere for you to go. So don't try to disappear because you will not be able to and then you'll have me to answer to. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Commander. Very much so."

"Good. Give me the name."

"Jeffrey Anderson. His name is Jeffrey Anderson. He's from upstate New York, was involved in some pretty sketchy stuff. When he found an undercover cop in his operation, he moved it out here. And then he found a mole in his operation here. Your friend Holloway. Where is he by the way?"

McGarrett presses his mouth into a grim line. "Back at his safe house," He says. "Never left. Now you better get your ass into gear because your twenty four hours are gonna go quick." And then he gets back in his car and drives away.

XXX

He finally stops at Hawaii Five-0 headquarters, and drags an over-heated and slightly bruised and very miffed Holloway into one of the holding cells there.

"You'll be safe here until we find you a new safe house. Sorry I shoved you in my trunk. Believe it or not, it was for your own safety. The people who were after you had figured out where you were and I had to move you."

"And use me as bait."

"Well, and that. Just be grateful you're alive." He gives Holloway a supportive clap on the shoulder, making him wince, and drives to the hospital.

Kono and Chin stand up when he comes into the waiting room.

"Where the _hell_ have you been?" Kono demands.

"I had some things to take care of. But I'm done now. How is he?"

Kono and Chin look at each other, exchanging a glance that makes Steve nervous. "What is it?"

"You'd better go see him," Kono says finally. Steve runs to the room, heart pounding against his chest. He's afraid of what he's going to find when he gets there. He mutters silent prayers to himself and bursts into the room and-

"Hey, Steve." The voice is weak and tired and scratchy.

"Danno."

He looks exhausted and like hell, but he's awake. His eyes are clear, and he smiles at Steve. "Fever finally broke. The doc says that my body can work on healing the rest of me now, and I should be out of here before too long."

Steve smiles, and sits in one of the plastic chairs. "It's good to see you awake, Danno. You actually had me worried there for a minute."

"What, you? The badass SEAL with no fear, was _worried_? Well, I'm flattered."

Steve smirks. "Yeah, well, I have a concussion. Don't give yourself _all_ the credit."

Danny grins tiredly. His eyelids are slipping shut.

"Go ahead and sleep, Danny. That's an order. I'll be here when you wake up."

Danny looks up at him. "Promise you won't do anything stupid."

Steve plasters on a fake smile. "Of course not."

It doesn't take long for Danny to fall asleep. McGarrett takes out his phone and searches the name Jeffrey Anderson. He looks through the results, until his eyes land on something.

"Son of a bitch," he mutters.

So much for not doing anything stupid.

XXX

**Ba ha ha! Cliffhanger! Sorry for the HUGE wait guys. Obviously my life didn't really low down any. Ugh. Thank you for all the support and kindness. I appreciate it. Hope this chapter was worth the wait! Hope to keep hearing from you!**


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